Interview With Michelle Mahoney, Executive Producer at Fuse TV

Michelle Mahoney, Executive Producer of Fuse TV


Michelle Mahony is the Executive Producer for Fuse music television station. I found this contact through Pilar Stienborn , the Wardrobe Director for Fuse, who is a friend of my Mom. I did my station profile on Pilar, and while going back and looking through my notes, she had answered all of the questions for this interview. She was extremely helpful and cooperative with all of my assignments.

Michelle Mahony is the head of the production department at Fuse Music Television station based in New York City. After graduating from college, she got started by working for VH1 for 15 years. She said most people in the industry go through the music television circuit and always end up working for a number of stations. She started out interning for VH1 then moved onto producing for them. She has had a number of life changing experiences throughout her life leading up to her current position. She used to work on the production team for Fuse, before getting promoted.

Michelle loves how she can express her creativity with the department at all times. She said there are many other people and departments who snap her back to reality when her mind goes wild, but until then, she is free to create and design ideas for new shows. She doesn’t like when people bring her back to reality. She wishes she could give every artist and new talent an opportunity to be showcased, but at the same time, popularity sells.

Michelle gave me the standard advice when she was waiting outside of the elevator with me. She said to never give up, if this is what I wanted to do in life, to never stop trying for it. After I told her how impatient I was to wait after graduation to begin my career, she offered me an internship! She said they are the most important way in getting your foot in the door. Connections mean everything. Michele said, “Knowledge of the career and a great personality are definitely perks to getting your dream job.”


Michelle's Achievements
Michelle's LinkedIn

Article Summary #2

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I chose to review the article from New York Times about the new popular TV trend sweeping the nation, New Jersey. Many shows have taken this theme and expanded and endorsed the idea. Shows like The Jersey Shore, Real Housewives of New Jersey, Jerseylicious, Boardwalk Empire, and Cake Boss. TV shows lead to other types of advertisement shticks by using these characters featured in these shows.


I chose this article for a number of reasons. I love each and every one of these shows, as stupid and mindless as they may be. I am an avid watcher of The Real Housewives of New Jersey and The Jersey Shore. I also drove to Hoboken to visit Carlo’s Bakery from the show The Cake Boss. It’s an addiction that spices up New Jersey.

I haven’t seen an article that honestly covers the topic of New Jersey based reality shows. This article reviewed the hype in an unbiased manner. The writer talks about how advertisers are taking advantage of these characters and their appeal, and using them wisely. Tim Brooks, the television historian and co-author of “The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows,” said “The new O.C. is, of all places, New Jersey.”

This idea opens up a whole new media approach of “state pride” in reality television. California and New York have most definitely taken advantage of this idea. Other television shows such as MTV’s The Real World, Real Housewives, Food Networks Good Eats, and even Survivor. This method mainly reels in the people living in that surrounding area. These shows flourish and bring in a large profit. (Chapter 4, page 144) Success ultimately is the source of power for reality programs.



Click Here For Article

The Future of TV/Radio #1

I found an article on 3D video games that I found to be extremely interesting and the epitome of futuristic. Video games won’t be the only thing in 3D. The article describes how 3-D TVs will become a thing of the future. Workers in the industry see sports and movies becoming enhanced with 3D also in the future. 3D gaming is already available for computer games, however 3D video gaming for game systems will boost the sale and research of 3D televisions. Not all gaming companies seem to be interested in this new product. Sony is the only company backing this idea at the time.


This will drastically open up a whole new world of ideas for the industry. Besides the fact that video games will be in 3D, consumers will simply have the option of buying televisions in 3D. Maybe I missed that article? Three dimensional televisions are products of the future. This new invention will expand fresh ideas and opportunities for all branches of entertainment.

There are some products that will never become extinct, yet with this new invention, I can see people forgetting about standard television extremely quick. After seeing Avatar, the way I view normal big screen movies at the movie theater seem dull. Along with the rest of the world who saw it, I would prefer a movie in 3D Imax ANYDAY. This will be a trend in the media industry.



http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/04/3d-avatar-television-technology-breakthoughs-videogames.html

Article Summary #1

In the New York Times article, E-Book Price Increase May Stir Reader’ Passion, the journalist Motoko Rich and Brad Stone explore consumer’s reactions. Prices for books on “portable book shelves” are highly increasing, along with the demand. The problem is that e-book consumers are irritated, yet not concerned, with these changes. They feel they are being ripped off based on the amount of money it takes to produce e-books, as opposed to physical paper copies.


If prices of the e-books increase, consumers say that they will just turn to another form of entertainment, or piracy will just spread to e-books. Publishers don’t seem to be worried about this new technology dying out because of this possible prices increase because a new crop of E-book distributers, such as the iPad, will keep the ball rolling.

I chose this article because it shows how this can lead to a substantial problem in our entertainment industry. This is a prime instance of how inflation will lead to piracy. Acquiring movies and television shows is a perfect example showing how the trend in peeved e-book consumers will react. If its not free, or cheap, then there’s a free, and/or cheaper, way of obtaining it. The article just touched upon this outcome. It mainly focused on how e-book buyers will revolt if the prices of e-books increase. People can ultimately stop paying for basic cable and going to movies, and simply pay the internet fee and get all of that, and a couple viruses, for cheaper.

I also chose this article because it shows how the technological industry will not control the people. I like to see this happen in a way because I feel it shows how people are trying to control and settle the recession. There will always be those few who splurge on unnecessary technology, yet when consumers are being taken advantage of, by being charged more for e-books then print books, they fight back. I don’t condone piracy at all; I feel that it can tear our economy apart. Not al piracy is illegal though. Youtube provides plenty of videos, movies, and tv shows that other people pay for. (The YouTube Phenomenon, pg 318, Media Programming) David Pakman, the former chief executive of the eMusic makes an extremely valid and realistic statement, “Entertainment and media companies keep forgetting that consumers have a choice. They can decide not to buy the book at all.” This is what our world is coming to, and a price increase of electronic books will just add to this jaded society.


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/11/technology/11reader.html?scp=2&sq=e-books&st=Search